Jackwin 777

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

HBW -- Heyfield Wetlands and Glenmaggie Flora and Fauna Reserve

Eight birders gathered in coolish and cloudy weather at the Heyfield Wetlands. We spent two hours walking some of the various paths in this continuously improving environment before morning tea. Thirty-two species including Tree Martins, a high soaring Black-shouldered Kite and a Brown Goshawk with a prey item clutched in his/her talons. Lots of Rainbow Lorikeets but no Swift Parrots. Perhaps a tad early for them to be moving through here towards Tasmania.

After a look at the State Memorial for Timber Workers [and more Rainbows but no Swifties], we went on to the Glenmaggie Flora and Fauna Reserve where we walked in, across and back to the northern fence then back to the cars for lunch. The first part of our walk was almost bird-less. Don, Ted, Val and I used a great app to key out some fungi but once we reached the last leg, the bird action commenced. Varied Sitella, White-winged Chough, White-throated Treecreepers, Australian Ravens [definitively identified by calls using both Morcombe and Pizzey apps], Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Golden Whistler and Scarlet and Eastern Yellow Robins. Only 17 species but class, pure class.

Enjoy the pics.

New Holland Honeyeater.
Gathering nesting material for an abode in the mistletoe.

Mr and Mrs Chestnut Teal

Mr and Mrs Australian Wood Duck.
Check out his hair style!

Lepista nuda
Great colour and three forks on the fungi app i.e. good eating.

Go South 05 -- north to Mt Lewis

I drove to the end of the road that goes to the top of Mt Lewis between Mossman and Mt Molloy, home to the Blue-faced Parrot-finch. This is the easiest place to observe this uncommon and possibly rare bird.

A gravel road snakes up from the valley through rainforest for 12km or so before topping out onto a relatively flat area where the trees have been cleared and rank grass is growing in an area, say, three hundred metres by one hundred metres. I slowed down and stopped and there, without even having had time to switch the engine off, were some Blue-faced Parrot-finches in full view eating seeds on the top of long grass stems just a few yards from the car. Wow. Not that often you see a target bird so quickly, easily and predictably. Job done.

The alternatives now were ...
1) turn around and drive off to the next target, or
2) camp.

I decided the latter. Next morning I walked further along the track past the locked gate and saw Yellow-throated Scrubwrens in the company of both Bassian and Russett-tailed Thrushes, all to the accompaniment of Spotted Catbirds, Grey-headed Robins and no camera!